Patrolman Anthony N. Rizzato Sr. | Star #12407

Patrolman Anthony N. Rizzato, Sr., Star #12407, aged 37 years, was a 3 year, 9 month, 28 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Field Services – Patrol Division: Unit 056 – Area 6 Task Force.

On July 17, 1970, Sergeant James Louis Severin and Sergeant Ed Wodnicki met in the 18th District Tactical Unit Office before they proceeded to Cabrini with their respective teams to engage in the “Walk & Talk“ program. A previous day’s confrontation necessitated having an additional person on Sergeant Wodnicki’s team for the day. As fate would have it, Officer Rizzato’s brother Nickalos, who was also a policeman, was assigned to Sergeant Wodnicki’s team. What followed was a vicious calculated murder of Patrolman Rizzato and Sergeant Severin.

Officer Rizzato and Sergeant Severin were volunteers for the Chicago Police Department’s “Walk & Talk“ project. The program was designed to cultivate community relations between Chicago Police Officers and residents of the Cabrini-Green housing complex. On July 17, 1970, the officers became victims of sniper fire as they walked across the Seward Park baseball field at Cabrini-Green. Officer Rizzato and Sergeant Severin were shot in their backs by high-powered rifles which erupted from two CHA buildings. The purpose of the shooting was to seal a pact between two rival gangs. Patrolmen Dennis Jurkowski, Bob Sargus, Curtis Crisler, and Sergeant Edward Stetter drove into the middle of the baseball field under a hail of sniper fire to recover the bodies of their fellow officers. Officer Rizzato and Sergeant Severin were transported to Henrotin Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Four people were charged and arrested for the officers’ murders, George C. Knight, age 23; Johnnie Veal, age 18; Vernon R. Baker, age 14; Sidney Bennett, Jr., age 18. Knight and Veal were both found guilty of 1st degree murder and were each sentenced to 100 to 199 years in prison. In 1972, Baker’s charges were dropped. Bennett confessed to the murders, but was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. In 1975, Bennett shot and killed a man while working as an armed security guard. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 1 to 5 years in prison. In 2021, Johnnie Veal, age 68, was granted a parole hearing. On February 25, 2021, Veal was granted parole and released. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted 8-4 to parole Veal.

Officer Rizzato was waked at Drake & Sons Funeral Home located at 5303 North Western Avenue. His funeral mass was held at Queen of Angels Catholic Parish located at 2330 West Sunnyside Avenue. He was laid to rest on July 22, 1970 in St. Joseph Cemetery, 3100 North Thatcher Avenue, River Grove, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 11, Lot 303, Block –, Section RR.

Patrolman Anthony N. Rizzato, Sr., born July 19, 1932, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on September 19, 1966. He earned 1 Award of Valor (posthumously) and 1 Blue Star Award (posthumously) during his career.

Officer Rizzato served in the U.S. Army from May 29, 1951 thru May 28, 1954, was a veteran of the Korean War and was Honorably Discharged. He was survived by his wife, Rosarina (nee Russo); children: Anthony N., Jr., age 6 and Rose, age 10 and siblings: Emilio, JoAnn Aiello, Lucille McCauslin, Nickalos (CPD), Pauline and Rose Marie Plescia. He was preceded in death by his parents: Joseph and Rose (nee Marchese).

In June 1981, a new sports complex in the Cabrini-Green Homes complex located at Division and Orleans Streets was named in honor of Officer Rizzato and Sergeant Severin.

Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department RD #J298263.